CAF reverses decision to hold Africa Cup of Nations every four years and returns to previous format

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced today, Thursday, October 29, 2026, the return of the Africa Cup of Nations to a biennial format, after the executive committee of the federation unanimously decided to reverse the decision to change the tournament to a quadrennial system.

The CAF clarified in an official statement that the decision comes after reviewing the previous decision made last year, amid concerns about the time frame that the proposed Africa Nations League may need to generate significant and sustainable financial returns, ensuring the development of African football and enhancing its ability to compete globally and achieve financial independence.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe announced during the strategic conference held in Cape Verde from October 7 to 9 that the executive committee will reconsider the decision to hold the Africa Cup of Nations every four years, especially since the proposed new competition, the Africa Nations League, aims to establish a tournament similar to the Africa Cup of Nations every two years, but it will take several years before it can achieve the expected financial returns.

Patrice Motsepe confirmed that the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will be held in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with the following edition scheduled for 2028, and then in 2031 and 2033. He noted the possibility that the tournament may not take place in 2030, which coincides with the World Cup, in line with FIFA's traditions regarding continental competitions in World Cup years.

The CAF president emphasized that returning the tournament to a biennial format aims to protect the interests of African football and its 54 federations, while also considering the interests of African players playing in clubs outside the continent. He affirmed that the Africa Cup of Nations represents an occasion to celebrate the diversity of African cultures and contributes to bringing the peoples of the continent and its communities around the world together.